I hope you had a chance to read my story on Sunday about the prospects of a third women’s professional soccer league in America. Here’s the deal: This won’t happen unless the United States Soccer Federation gets involved and gets involved heavily. If Sunil Gulati & Co., are all about player development, as they say they are, then it’s the USSF’s duty to make sure there is a pro women’s league in 2013 and 2014 when there are no major international women’s tournaments and the U.S. national team traditionally has a light schedule in non-World Cup/Olympic years. And by leading the charge on this it means the USSF needs to do more than just call meetings and hold conference calls and say it’s going to run the league, hire officials, operate a website, etc. The USSF must get invested itself. That’s right, put ITS money where its mouth is. But a few comments I read from Gulati over at www.EqualizerSoccer.com keep gnawing at me.

”To think the Federation, a non-profit, governing body would have the kinds of resources to make those sort of investments is misplaced,” Gulati said before a sold-out (18,500 fans) U.S. match May 27 in Chester, Pa. Non-profit governing body? Are you telling me those tickets were free on May 27? Are you telling me the outrageous ticket prices the USSF charges don’t bring in a boatload of money for the Federation? Now, to be fair, the USSF does fund 11 youth national teams to aide player development and also does pay national team players. The Federation has money, but it would need to decide to invest more in the women’s game. It’d need to complement the owners who are going to put up their own – dollars from the private sector, as Gulati puts it – and while those owners would be the foundation of a new league, the Federation needs to be the pillars on which it rests. The Federation needs to find a way where it pays some elite player salaries (maybe add incentive on top of the salary it already pays to national teamers?) to help owners keep player payrolls manageable. Spread the national teamers throughout the league with an allocation process that has been used previously. And, the players need to hear this, too: Don’t be greedy. As I wrote in the story, it’s pretty simple to me: Either accept $10,000 or $20,000, or whatever the number is, to play your sport and build something that can grow and last and help players develop and gives little girls role models and one day may lead to bigger salaries or … get nothing because there won’t be a league for you here. You’ll have to live in Sweden or Iceland or wherever else that isn’t America and play in their leagues. If the lowest MLS salaries are still only in the ballpark of $30,000, it’s not unreasonable that some women’s pro players should make a third of that. That won’t be enough money, of course, so teams must find a way to supplement their income with part-time jobs in their communities. And if none of that sits well, use your degree and say so long to soccer.

Speaking of MLS, no one should hold their breath. From what I hear and read between the lines, MLS doesn’t want to be involved in the business of women’s soccer. Of course, I think it could help attract a different segment of fans if you had some MLS/women’s league doubleheaders, but MLS is about MLS. After 17 years, it has found a successful formula and I can’t see it jumping into the WoSo business right now. But run a stable and modestly successful women’s league for a few years and then maybe MLS would want to pair up. U.S. Soccer also will need to help attract some corporate sponsors for a women’s league, with promises that league deals, in some fashion, carry over to matches (read: television exposure/revenue) involving the men’s and women’s national teams. With the right business model and time on your side, for now, the USSF should be able to identify enough cities/owners who want to have a women’s team. Give it until the end of the Olympics, but then get things moving Sept. 1. Don’t wait until the end of the year. This task force Gulati wants to explore a women’s league can’t be scrambling around the holidays.

So put the word out now: Whether you’re in WPSL or the USL’s W-League or currently not in a league at all but want to be, let the Federation know. Get the ball rolling. Four teams in the West/Central part of the U.S./Canada and four teams in the Central/East. Eight is enough. Make each team take one cross-country trip to keep travel costs down. That’s it. Or, have an eight-team festival in one city over a few days and count those as league matches so there are no cross-country trips. I know of one city it’d draw well in (read: Rochester). If eight teams work, make it 10 in 2014. This can happen, but only if U.S. Soccer wants to make it happen and make it happen the right way and not by strong-arming private owners into accepting its terms without having a say.

Your biggest stars - Abby Wambach and Hope Solo – aren’t going to be around forever. They’re in the midst of passing the torch or will do it soon, so hopefully the USSF won’t miss the chance to play a major role in finally building and developing a stable and strong women’s pro league in America with a full schedule in 2013 and ’14 and scaled back one during Cup/Olympic years (as it always should be in those). We’re never going to have a men’s league in America with the best players in the world. We already have had it, and can again, on the women’s side. Do the right thing U.S. Soccer. Get this done. Lead the way in what will require cooperation from many sides to achieve success and if 2014 isn’t better than 2013, pull the plug one last time and this time, sadly, for good.

If the Rhinos hoped to use Saturday night’s match against league-leading Orlando City as a measuring stick, boy did they get a disturbing answer. Rochester fell behind by three goals in the first 27 minutes and was outclassed at the Florida Citrus Bowl, losing 4-0 to the defending USL PRO League champions. Coupled with Charleston’s win over fourth-place Wilmington, the loss dropped the Rhinos (9-5-5, 32 points) into third place, a point behind the Battery (11-6).

Orlando City improved to 13-1-4, 7-0-2 at home and with 43 points is running away from the rest of the USL. Rochester’s final five matches are at home starting with Saturday night against Pittsburgh. “I now have a very good idea over the last five games who is going to be part of the mix and who isn’t (barring injuries),” Myers said. “No. 2, obviously Orlando showed us and everyone else in the league why they’re the reigning champions.”

Rochester played without midfielder Quavas Kirk (hamstring) and top-scorer JC Banks, who was attending his brother’s wedding. Myers said knew of the conflict for months. Kevin Molino’s cross set up Matt Luzunaris for the first goal in the 10th minute, and just five minutes later Jerome Mechack made it 2-0 by blasting a 26-yard free kick just inside the left (near) post. Rob Valentino’s 27th-minute header off a corner kick made it 3-0 and prompted a peeved Myers to send in some substitutes, replacing midfielder Tyler Rosenlund with Michael Tanke and central defender Tyler Bellamy with Aquinas Institute graduate, Kyle Manscuk. Rodrigo Lopez added a 73rd-minute penalty kick.

“Things we talk specifically about before the match don’t get carried out,” Myers said. “They have to learn one way or another.”

Rochester had given up only 14 goals, third best in the USL, and hadn’t lost a league match by more than one. Its attack was harmless all night. Rochester goalkeeper Kristian Nicht (seven saves) made a good reaction stop early in the second half on a shot by Lopez, but Lopez later converted a penalty kick after a Rhinos defenderpulled down Jamie Watson in the box.

FLASH BEAT CHICAGO 2-1: The other match for the hometown team went much better as the Western NY Flash won 2-1 at Chicago on goals by Adriana, her WPSL Elite-leading 13th, in the first half and Katy Frierson in the second.

The Rhinos had one shot go off the crossbar in the first half and a couple of good looks late in the second go wide and tied the Wilmington (N.C.) Hammerheads, 0-0, tonight at steamy Legion Stadium. Rochester (9-4-5, 32 points) now heads to Florida to Orlando City (12-1-4, 40 points) at 7:30 on Saturday night in a battle of the two top teams in the league. Like fourth-place Wilmington (7-5-5), Orlando City is unbeaten at home (6-0-2).

“It must be 84 degrees but the humidity has to be 100 percent. It is just thick,” said Rhinos coach Jesse Myers, who rested midfielder Tam McManus (calf). “I think we came out of this one pretty good health-wise.”

The Rhinos played with a man advantage after a 79th-minute straight red card to forward Chukwudi Chijindu for a hard tackle on midfielder Tyler Rosenlund, but couldn’t convert. “This is a difficult place to play. They’re very direct. They’re built for this (narrow) field. Every throw-in is dangerous. Every corner kick is dangerous,” Myers said.

Wilmington had a few early opportunities but the Rhinos had the best chance of the first half. Forward Kendell McFayden slipped in behind the back line but his 16-yard shot over goalie Alex Horwath hit the crossbar in the 36th minute. The second-year pro, signed late last month, also had a good chance late in the half but Horwath made a point-blank save. “Kendell has got to finish one of those,” Myers said.

Wilmington, which used a 65th-minute goal on June 8 to earn a 1-1 draw in Rochester, had a chance just before the break, but a far-post cross that went off the back of a Rhinos defender hit the bar. The Rhinos controlled more of the possession much of the second half but didn’t generate a quality chance until going up a man. Isaac Kissi, who replaced McFayden in the 66th minute, nearly connected on a good turn-and-shoot from 18 yards, but it was wide. Kissi also had a 30-yard blast sail high and a chance in stoppage time fail to connect.

With injuries to backs Michael Zaher (hip) and Jack Traynor (hamstring) and center back Georgios Kyriazis (knee) also still out until probably next week, the Rhinos have added left-sided defender Chris Estridge, 22. He’s on the trip to Wilmington (Thursday) and Orlando City (Saturday) and is expected to have USL PRO League approval to play. Estridge, an Indiana native, was an All-American last fall for Indiana University with three goals and five assists. Like newly added Wilmington forward and former MLS player Cody Arnoux, Estridge’s most recent club also was Real Salt Lake after being taken in the MLS Draft by Vancouver.

“We’re happy to have been able to add Chris to the mix this season. He’s athletic and has a lot of pace which is important in this league,” Rhinos coach Jesse Myers said. “He was a good collegiate player who needs to get some professional matches to continue to develop.”

After a pair of confidence-building home wins over teams they should have beaten, Rochester play two matches this week that may show whether it’s a contender or pretender. Rochester (9-4-4, 31 points), which has climbed a point ahead of Charleston (10-6) and into second place, faces fourth-place Wilmington (7-5-3) and first-place Orlando City (12-1-4) on Saturday night. They’re each 6-0-2 at home. “Certainly, we’re asking them for six points and nothing less from this trip,” said Myers, whose club topped last-place Antigua 4-1 and 10th-place Dayton 2-0 last week. “We’re feeling a little better about ourselves, like we can be more dangerous and score some goals.”

Forwards Kendell McFayden and Andrew Hoxie each scored twice against Antigua and Danny Earls and Isaac Kissi connected against Dayton. Newly signed McFayden, 23, lit the spark in just his third match and first start for Rochester, scoring twice in the first 19 minutes against Antigua, and Kissi, 25, turned out the lights with a late strike against Dayton, his first goal this season in just six matches since recovering from a knee injury. Myers’ hoped the addition of their speed would help. “I’ve felt like it was coming and we just needed a little bit of pace,” Myers said. “Kissi has looked a little sharper every game and Kendell has given us more explosion. It’s tougher for teams get up on us when they know we can finally get in behind them.”

Wilmington, which like the Rhinos has won two straight, scored in the 65th minute June 12 in Rochester to earn a 1-1 tie. The Hammerheads added Arnoux last week. A Wilmington native, the 24-year-old was released by Real Salt Lake (MLS) on July 1. Arnoux, who started in Saturday’s 1-0 win over Richmond, played for Vancouver in 2010 and seven times for Everton’s reserve squad in the English Premier League in 2009. This will be the Rhinos’ first match this season against reigning league champion Orlando, which topped and tied them in their inaugural season last year. Rochester closes with five straight home matches.

YEAH OR NAY TO ABBY: I heard and read a lot of debate today on whether it was right for Abby Wambach to pose nude in ESPN magazine’s ”Body Issue,” and I’m wondering what all the hub-bub is about. My four points:

1. She was nude, but in the magazine’s special body issue private parts of athletes are concealed by their poses or other objects.

2. She was one of 27 athletes asked to do this, so it was an honor; it’s not like she did this on her own for Playboy.

3. As she said, she’s worked on her body most of her life, if she’s proud of it, she has every right to display it.

4. If you didn’t think those pictures were artistic and tasteful, then you’re a prude. Yeah, I said/wrote it.

FLASH PLAY THURSDAY NIGHT ON ROAD: Fresh of Sunday’s 4-0 playoff-clinching victory at home against Chesapeake when McCall Zerboni had two goals and an assist, the Western New York Flash (7-1-3) women’s soccer team plays at FC Indiana (1-8-2) at 7 p.m. Thursday. WNY is just three points (one win) behind WPSL Elite League co-leaders Chicago (9-2) and Boston (9-3). The Flash beat Indiana, 4-1, in their season opener. WNY also plays at Chicago, a team it throttled 3-0 in Rochester on June 13, at 7 p.m. Saturday.

LAST VALLOW GOALIE CAMP: Scott Vallow’s final “Train Like a Champion” Goalkeeper Camp, run by the former Rhinos star goalie and Rhinos/WNY Flash players, is Sunday, July 22 at Sahlen’s Stadium. It’s open to boys and girls ages 8-17. Players should bring water, a ball, proper training attire, shoes, training pants and gloves. The cost, which is $125, includes four hours of training, an UHLSPORT long-sleeve training shirt and coupons for goalie gloves and a free ticket to a Rhinos home match. Visit www.scottvallow.com for other camp applications or more info.

I’m back from vacation and the Rhinos probably want me to stay away. They went 2-0 with me gone, beating Antigua 4-1 and then Dayton 2-0. Rochester (9-4-4) heads back to the road for the final time this regular season with games at fourth-place Wilmington (7-5-4) on Thursday and USL PRO leader Orlando (12-1-4) on Saturday. Thanks to some help from others, Rochester (31 points) has moved into second place, one point ahead of Charleston (10-6, 30 points), which was swept on Friday and Saturday nights by Charlotte but still has a match in hand on the Rhinos. More on them later, including forward Kendell McFayden being named the USL Player of the Week.

Photo of Abby Wambach by Carlos Serrao for ESPN The Magazine

I’ve seen Abby Wambach slide face fist through mud on a soccer field in Webster, celebrating a Section V championship as a teenager, and I’ve seen her writhe in pain in San Diego after breaking her leg in the final tune-up match before the 2008 Olympics. Never have I seen her as you do below in a picture from ESPN The Magazine’s Fourth Annual Body issue, which hits newstands Friday. I’m working on a story on that, but for now here’s a link to a video on the photo shoot the Pittsford native and Our Lady of Mercy High School star did. She is traveling to London today for the Olympics and unavailable for comment. She has some pretty powerful things to say about people and women and their bodies in the video. It’s worth a watch for the message (really).

McFAYDEN EARNS HONOR: In just his first start for the Rhinos, second-year pro Kendell McFayden scored twice in the first 19 minutes to lead the Rhinos to a 4-1 win over Antigua on July 4 and has been named USL PRO Player of the Week. Defender Danny Earls, who scored the winner in Saturday’s 2-0 victory over Dayton, also is on the USL PRO League Team of the Week. Here’s the full team below.

I tried to address what ails the Rhinos in today’s preview story on Rochester’s key home matches tonight versus Antigua and Saturday against Dayton, who are tied for last place in the USL PRO League and would look to be perfect foes to help the Rhinos gain some confidence. So here’s a link to the story. What do you think? I like that coach Jesse Myers is trying to take some of the blame and while I think it’s partly true I also think it’s a tactic to take some pressure off his players. But, getting back to basics is rarely ever a bad idea. So, we’ll see what happens tonight.

WPSL ELITE PLAYOFFS IN ROCHESTER BUT CONFLICT EXISTS: The WPSL Elite League, the new home of the Western New York Flash and a few other former Women’s Professional Soccer teams such as the Boston Breakers and Chicago Red Stars, announced that its playoff semifinals and championship will be at Sahlen’s Stadium on Wednesday, July 25 and Saturday, July 28, respectively. It’s a very good thing for Rochester soccer, but I’m going to implore league leaders to look at rescheduling the title match (see below). The stadium also hosted last year’s WPS title game, a win by the Flash over Philadelphia. Prior to that, it hosted the W-League semis and finals once and the 2006 USL First Division title game in which the Rhinos lost to Vancouver. The WPSL Elite semis pit No. 2 and No. 3 seeds in a 5 p.m. match Wednesday, with the No. 1 and No. 4 teams playing at 8 p.m. The winners meet in a 1 p.m. title match Saturday to crown the first champion of the WPSL Elite League. Of course, the United States women’s national team plays its first two Olympic matches on the same date of the semis and WPSL Elite final. Each U.S. match starts at noon and the problem is easy to see. Why would Rochester soccer fans miss Abby Wambach, Alex Morgan and Co. in against Colombia in their second group stage match to watch a WPSL Elite title game at 1 p.m.? So, WPSL leaders need to push the start time back to 3 p.m. or move the title game to Sunday. You see, the Rochester Rattlers play at home lacrosse match at the stadium that Saturday night, so the WPSL Elite can’t push the start time to its title match back too far. I see no conflicts or events on Sunday, July 29 at Sahlen’s Stadium, so I think that’s a much smarter option (unless there is an event there that I’m not aware of). I’ve learned this: Like most American women’s soccer foes, you go head to head with Wambach, you lose.

Why in would the WPSL try to go head to head basically with the U.S. national team in the Olympics? Let’s hope it was just an oversight and the right decision is made, which is to move the title match.

Jeff DiVeronica has covered professional soccer and the Rhinos for the Democrat and Chronicle since the team's inception in 1996. "Devo's Direct Kicks" takes aim mostly at Rochester soccer, but will also highlight the USL, MLS and U.S. national team play. Devo, his nickname since college at St. John Fisher, also hosts two weekly radio shows each Saturday on WHTK-AM/FM (1280/107.3 or www.whtk.com). "Kick This!" (11 a.m.) features soccer talk, while the Canandaigua National Bank High School Sports Show (noon) covers Section V sports. E-mail Jeff at jdiveron@DemocratandChronicle.com.
Or follow him on Twitter: @RocDevo